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Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
| followed by = Return of Count Yorga, The (1971) }} Count Yorga, Vampire is an American independent horror film of the vampire subgenre. It was written and directed by Bob Kelljan. It was produced by Erica Productions, Inc. and distributed through American International Pictures. It opened to limited theatrical release in the United States on June 10th, 1970. The film stars Robert Quarry as the titular vampire antagonist, Count Yorga. The "human" cast members of the movie include Roger Perry as Doctor James Hayes, Michael Murphy as Paul, producer Michael Macready playing the role of the male lead, Michael Thompson, Donna Anders as the female lead, Donna, Judith Lang as the hippie-turned-vampire Erica Landers and Edward Walsh as the brutish servant, Brudah. The premise of the film follows typical vampire storytelling tropes, with a trippy, groovy 1960s edge. A group of hippies conduct a s ance led by a Bulgarian mystic named Yorga in order to make contact with the mother of one of the participants. Before long however, Count Yorga reveals himself to be a vampire with a dungeon full of slinky vampire babes who like nothing better than to spend their evenings making hot lesbian vampire love. Plot A truck is loaded at the Port of Los Angeles, and as it climbs to a gated mansion in the California hills, the cargo is revealed to be a coffin. Donna hosts a séance in hopes of contacting her recently deceased mother. At the party are several of her friends and Count Yorga, a mysterious Bulgarian mystic who performs the séance. Donna becomes hysterical during the proceedings, and Yorga uses hypnosis to calm her. After the party is over, Erica Landers and her boyfriend Paul offer to drive the Count home. Experiencing car trouble outside of Yorga's mansion (though Paul notices the road was dry a minute ago), the two resign themselves to spend the night in their van. Yorga watches the couple copulate, then attacks them, revealing himself to be a vampire. The following day, Paul tells Michael, Donna's boyfriend, about the attack. Paul didn't see their attacker, and Erica doesn't remember the attack at all. Erica visits Doctor James Hayes to have the mysterious bite wounds on her neck inspected. In contrast to her exuberant personality on the night before, Erica now seems despondent and listless. Hayes notices she has lost a lot of blood. Unable to diagnose the cause, he recommends rest and a high protein diet. Paul and Michael discuss the strange changes in Erica's behavior. Unable to reach her by phone, the concerned men drive to her home. They find the place in disarray, and an hysterical Erica eating her pet kitten. She reacts erratically to their presence, first threatening them with violence and then attempting to seduce Paul before coming to her senses and breaking down. They restrain her and call Doctor Hayes, who begins an emergency blood transfusion. Erica babbles incoherently. apparently afraid of something, and begs Paul to kill her. Meanwhile, Yorga awakens in his manor and heads to his throne room where his vampiric-brides lie on slabs. It is revealed here that one of the brides is Donna's mother, meaning that Yorga was the cause of her death and she is now his undead-servant. He awakens two of them and watches as they have sex, presumably using his powers of mind-control to force them to do so. Although Michael is skeptical, the three men consider the possibility of vampirism as an excuse for Erica's behavior. That night, Yorga visits Erica while Paul sleeps downstairs. Promising her immortality, he drains Erica of blood and completes her transformation before taking her back to his manor to add Erica as his third vampire bride. Paul, upon finding Erica missing, rashly goes to Yorga's mansion to rescue her. Yorga easily kills him with help of his deformed servant, Brudah. Michael alerts Hayes that Paul has gone to the mansion, and Hayes confides that Paul's lack of preparation will probably lead to his death. Hayes considers his girlfriend's advice, citing a baby being found drained of its blood with bite wounds on the neck, to involve the police. But he is rejected as a deluded prankster following a recent rash of such calls. Hayes, Michael and Donna go to the mansion themselves to inquire about Paul's whereabouts and keep Yorga active until sunrise. While Hayes distracts Yorga with enthusiastic questions about Yorga's occult experiments, Brudah rebuffs Michael's attempts to explore the mansion. Michael and Hayes switch places to keep Yorga off his guard, but Yorga becomes increasingly insistent that it is late and his guests must leave. Yorga distracts Hayes, and Yorga strengthens his hypnotic control over Donna. After leaving the manor, Hayes convinces Michael that killing Yorga will not be easy: vampires have greater strength and the wisdom that comes from living much longer than a "mere mortal". He also grimly adds they might have to kill Paul and Erica too if they have become vampires as once "turned", they will be among the ranks of the undead, loyal only to Yorga and their bloodlust. They plan to attack later that afternoon. Michael and Donna rest while Hayes studies vampire lore until he too falls asleep. Yorga awakens Donna telepathically and summons her back to the mansion. On her arrival, Brudah rapes her. Michael oversleeps due to Donna's sabotage of the alarm clock, and it's nearly evening when he calls to awaken Hayes. They stock up on stakes and makeshift crosses before heading to Yorga's mansion as night falls. They split up, and Hayes is confronted by Yorga. Both drop the pretense that Yorga is anything but a vampire, and Yorga leads Hayes into his basement where his vampire-brides lie dormant. Hayes finds Erica's body but can find no pulse or heartbeat on her. He attacks Yorga with a crucifix and a wooden stake, while yelling out for Michael (who hears Hayes and begins to run in the direction of his call). Yorga is irritated by Hayes' cross and taunts the doctor as he silently commands his brides to awaken. With Heyes' back to the approaching brides (and Hayes' attention fixed on Yorga), the brides attack and drain the helpless Hayes. Yorga reunites Donna with her mother. Michael finds Paul's mutilated body while navigating the crypt. Brudah attacks him, but Michael stabs him—presumably to death. Michael manages to reach the throne room but find Hayes as he lays dying from bites wounds and blood loss, though with his last breath, Hayes tells Michael where Donna is. However the vampiric-Erica and an unnamed, red-headed vampire charge into the room no sooner then Hayes tells him intent on killing the last intruder. Michael fends them off, chasing away the red-headed while Erica oddly pauses, giving Micheal a chance to stake her. Despite seeing that she's no longer the Erica he knows, Michael can't bring himself to kill her and proceeds upstairs while she hisses at him and presumably finishes devouring Hayes's body. On the way to the staircase, Brudah emerges from the living room, holding his profusely bleeding knife wound, but still intent on attacking Michael. Michael—somewhat stunned that Brudah still lives—moves up the staircase as Brudah reaches out for him, but Brudah collapses—finally dying. Upstairs, Michael confronts Yorga and Donna's mother. Yorga pushes Donna's mother into Michael's stake and flees out of the room. Michael follows and Yorga ambushes him outside the room. Michael rams the charging Yorga with his stake, killing him. Donna mourns her mother a second time before Michael collects her. He and Donna watch Yorga turn to dust. As they start to leave, they are confronted by Erica and the red-headed bride who, despite Yorga's death, still remain under the vampire-curse and continue to come after them, likely to kill Michael and reclaim Donna. They chase the two downstairs until repelled by Michael's cross. As the vampire women are forced back and toward a cellar, Erica glances ominously at Donna. Michael locks them in and takes Donna's hand, believing the danger is over. However, as he turns to leave, Donna hisses and lunges at him, fangs bared, fully transformed into a vampire. He was too late to prevent Yorga from turning her. In a final line of voice-over, the narrator sarcastically disputes that vampirism is just superstition as he laughs evilly. The film ends on a shot of Michael's bloodied and lifeless corpse. Wikipedia:Count Yorga, Vampire Cast Appearances * Count Yorga * James Hayes * Paul * Mike Thompson * Donna * Erica Landers * Brudah * Cleo * Peter * Judy * Donna's mother * Vampire woman * Vampire woman * California :* Los Angeles County :* Los Angeles ::* Port of Los Angeles * Coffin * Crucifix * Wooden stake * 1960s * Bulgarian * Castle * Cats * Coven * Crypt * Dead animals * Doctor * Henchman * Hippie * Hypnosis * Impalement * Mutilation * Narrator * Rape * S ance * Servant * Vampire mesmerism Notes * Copyright holder: American International Pictures, Inc. * Count Yorga, Vampire redirects to this page. * The original working title for this film was The Loves of Count Iorga. * Count Yorga, Vampire was filmed on location in Los Angeles, California. IMDB; Count Yorga, Vampire (1970); Filming locations * This is the only film produced by Erica Productions, Inc. * This is Bob Kelljan's second feature film work as a director and screenwriter and his first horror film work. He is also known for directing Return of Count Yorga, The in 1971 and Scream Blacula Scream in 1973. * This is the first feature film work for actress Donna Anders. She is sometimes credited as D.J. Anderson. * Actress Judy Lang is credited as Judith Lang in this film. This is her final film role before retiring from acting. * This is the first, and to date, only known acting work for Stella Thomas. She is uncredited for her participation in this film. * Although the film was released in 1970, the events of the movie actually take place during the 1960s. * Actor Robert Quarry nearly dropped out of the film due to scheduling conflicts with another film he had been signed on to work on, WUSA, starring Paul Newman and Psycho star Anthony Perkins. Hollywood Gothique; December 10th, 2004; "Count Yorga Speaks!" Fun Facts * Taglines for this film include, "Dash, dark and deadly", "Don't dare come alone!" and "Tall, dark, and deadly". * Count Yorga, Vampire was originally conceived as a softcore vampire erotica movie, but became a straight horror film at the urging of actor Robert Quarry. Cinefantastique; May 7th, 2008; Steve Biodrowski * Editor Tony de Zarraga is also known for his work on The Ninth Configuration, written and directed by William Peter Blatty in 1980. * Actor Michael Murphy is also known for playing the role of James R. Lesko in the 1974 science fiction film, Phase IV. * Actor George Macready is the father of actor/producer Michael Macready. * Actor George Macready also plays the role of Professor Rightstat in The Return of Count Yorga. This will be his final work in film. * Actress Erica Macready is likely related to Michael Macready and George Macready, though her exact relationship to them is unclear. This is her first, and to date, only known acting work. She is uncredited for her participation in this film. * Playing the role of Brudah is actor Edward Walsh's first work in the horror genre. It is also his first film work. Recommendations See also * Count Yorga, Vampire characters * Count Yorga, Vampire appearances External Links * * * Count Yorga, Vampire at Wikipedia * * * * * * * References Keywords Female partial nudity; Mild profanity; Vampire deaths by stake ---- Category:Films Category:1970 films Category:1st installments Category:American International Pictures Category:Seances Category:Horror Film List